Toilet tank flush valve



June 30, 1953 K. K. KARR TOILET TANK FLUSH VALVE Filed July 5., 1951Fig./

l l l4 /0 ll lull ll iI Kenneth K. Karr INVENTOR.

Patented June 30, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT or'rics Application July 5,1951, Serial No. 235,217

Thi invention relates to new and useful improvements and structuralrefinements in toilet tank flush valves, and the principal object of theinvention is to provide a flush valve wherein the valve ball is movablydisposed in a swingable cage which is operatively connected to theflushing lever, the movable disposition of the ball in the cage assuringproper engagement thereof with the valve seat and elimination of anypossible leakage.

An important feature of the invention resides in the construction of theball cage itself, while another feature lies in the attachment of theball cage to a conventional overflow pipe in a toilet tank, whereby theinvention may be readily installed in new tanks as well as a replacementfor conventional flush valves in existing tanks.

Some of the advantages of the invention lie in I its simplicity ofconstruction, in its efficient and dependable operation, and itsadaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view, and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement andconstruction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partially broken away and insection, illustrating the valve in its closed position; and

Figure 2 is a side elevational view showing the valve open, and Figure 3is a perspective view of the cage used in the invention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in thespecification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, th referencecharacter l designates the bottom of a toilet tank having the usualoutlet l2 provided at its upper end with a fitting l4 which affords aseat [6 for the flush valve, the fitting i4 also carrying an upwardlyextending overflow pipe l8 of a conventional type.

The flush valve constructed in accordance with this invention involvesthe provision of a cage which is designated generally by the referencecharacter 20 and is constructed in its entirety from wire, including asubstantially annular base member 22 which is provided at one sidethereof with an inverted, U-shaped hanger 24, including a bight portion26.

The cage 20 also includes a set of arcuate top members 28, 30 which aresecured to and extend 2 Claims.

upwardly from diametrically spaced points of the base member 22 and havetheir upper ends connected together as at 32. An upper end portion ofthe top member 30 is arcuated so as to form an eye 34 which isoperatively connected by a length of chain 36 to the usual flushinglever 38 of the toilet tank.

A suitable ball 40 is movably disposed within the cage 20, the ball 40being of such a size as to project downwardly from the cage when it isseated on the annular base member 22. However, at the same time, thedistance between the bight portion 26 and the point of connection 32 ofthe top member 28, 30 is less than the diameter of the ball, so that thelatter cannot be with" drawn upwardly from the cage, beyond the position illustrated by the dotted line 42 in Figure 2.

A suitable mounting bracket 44 is secured to an intermediate portion ofthe overflow pipe 18 and is provided with a horizontal bearing 46 inwhich the bight portion 26 of the hanger 2 is rotatably journaled, sothat when the invention is placed in use and the flushing lever 38 is inits lower osition, the cage 20 may also be lowered to permit the ball 20to engage the seat It in the fitting M. When the tank is flushed byraising the lever 38, the entire cage 20 is swung about the bightportion 26 in the bearing it, so as to raise the ball 40 from the seatIt as shown in Figure 2.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will beclearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly,further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

Having described the invention, claimed as new is:

1. Toilet tank flush valve unit, comprising a mounting bracket adaptedto be secured to an overflow pipe and including a horizontal bearing, awire cage comprising a substantially annular base member, an invertedU-shaped hanger extending upwardly from one side of said base member andhaving a bight portion rotatably journalled in said bearing, and a setof arcuate top members extending upwardly from perimetriwhat is callyspaced points on said base member and having their upper ends connectedtogether, and a valve ball movably disposed in said cage, said basemember affording a seat for said ball.

2. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the distanc between saidbearing and the point of connection of the upper ends of said topmembers is less than the diameter of said ball, whereby th ball isretained in said cage.

KENNETH K. KARE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7Number 0 419,566 592,810 1,925,748 2,142,393

Name Date Scott Jan.'14, 1890 Mitchell Nov. 2, 1897 Colvin Sept. 5, 1933Halteman Jan. 3, 1939 DeGarmo Sept. 30, 1941

